5/20/18 – The Promise – Part 2 – The Promise of Provision

The Promise Series

Part 2 – The Promise of Provision

“Stand for the initial reading of the Word”2Peter 1:3-4 [NIV]

“His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.”

“Let’s pray…”

The Promise of Provision

All of us have been, or are in desperate need of something
Money for bills
Healing
An answer to a decision that needed to be made

How do we know God will provide while this huge mountain of need that is right in front of us?

God, alone, is our source

Your job, your skills and your ability to produce wealth is not your source of income
Doctors and medicine are not your source of healing
Wisdom to make the right decision does not come from the counsel you get from Godly people.

Source vs. Re-source2Peter 1:3a [NIV]

“His divine power has given us everything we need…”

Philippians 4:19 [NIV]

“And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.”

Why is it important to know this? Then we will quit running around like crazy trying to find provision. We’ll first pray, then trust, then act.
Besides, if God is omnipresent, He is already in your tomorrow. If He is omniscient, He has already thought through your outcome.

2. The provision for your need already exists

2Peter 1:3a [NIV]

“His divine power has given us everything we need…”

Story of Abraham and Isaac [Read Gen 22:1-14 in the Message, not on the screen]

Provide = ra’ah (raw-aw) – see (879x), to perceive

Just because you don’t see something going on, doesn’t mean something is not happening.
The opposite of faith is not fear, it’s sight. (2Corinthians 5:7 “…we live by faith, not by sight.”)

2Peter 1:3 [NIV]

“His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.

3. God’s answer is always “Yes”, even when He says, “No.”

God is not a permissive Father, but He is also not an abusive Father.
He knows what we need better than we do and is always willing to provide.

2Corinthians 12:8-9 [NIV]

“Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9 But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”

1 John 5:14-15 [NIV]

“This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us–whatever we ask–we know that we have what we asked of him.”

Conclusion: Trust God’s heart, even when you don’t see his hand. Just know that if you have submitted yourself to God, He will, and has, provided for you.

(“With every head bowed and every eye closed”)
Invitation: There may be many of you right now who haven’t submitted your lives to Christ. What does that mean?

Prayer: “God, I give you my mind, my heart and my life today. I surrender to you all the things that I have tried to figure out and work out in my life. I acknowledge that you are Lord, master, and I confess my sinfulness to you. I ask you to not only forgive my sin, but give me the power to live for you and trust you with every area of my life. In Jesus name, amen.”